


SDfSH: Bucky/Tony Date

by literally_no_idea



Series: Service Dogs for Superheroes (SDfSH): Relationship Stories [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Aromantic, Aromantic Character, Bucky Barnes's Metal Arm, Don't copy to another site, M/M, Other, PNES, Queer Character, Queerplatonic Relationships, SDfSH 'verse, Seizures, Service Animals, Service Dogs, winteriron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-03-04 22:46:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18822304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literally_no_idea/pseuds/literally_no_idea
Summary: “And… there! Good as new. Move it around a few times, tell me what you think.” Tony leans back in his chair, watching as Bucky rotates his updated metal arm a few times, flexing the fingers and intertwining the fingers of his flesh and metal hands, smiling when he sees just how similar they are in size now.





	SDfSH: Bucky/Tony Date

**Author's Note:**

> I don't really have an excuse for only posting relationships content other than I'm sad and this is just making me feel warm and fuzzy inside? I don't know.
> 
> Anyway, welcome back to the series, or if you're new here, welcome! You shouldn't need to read the rest of the series to understand this, all you need to know is:
> 
> -Diva is Tony's service dog, Fubar is Bucky's service dog.
> 
> -Bucky has Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures
> 
> Other than that, enjoy!

“And… there! Good as new. Move it around a few times, tell me what you think.” Tony leans back in his chair, watching as Bucky rotates his updated metal arm a few times, flexing the fingers and intertwining the fingers of his flesh and metal hands, smiling when he sees just how similar they are in size now.

 

Tony’s been tinkering with the arm ever since Bucky came to the tower, making adjustments to make it lighter, more receptive, less painful, anything and everything he seems to think of, and Bucky has to admit that he really appreciates it, regardless of what Steve thinks.

 

Bucky looks up at Tony, nods. “It’s great, thank you, Tony,” he says, and Tony waves a hand dismissively.

 

“First of all, that’s what you always say, but there’s always something that can be improved, and second, it’s the least I can do. Anything else you want added or changed? I can make you ones in different colors, if you want, coordinate it with your outfits, or custom text, even? Oh, and as always, let me know if there are ever any problems with it, or even things you really like, and I’ll keep that feature in the next version.”

 

Bucky grins. “Thanks. You know, not all of our conversations have to revolve around this damn arm.”

 

Tony tilts his head. “And what else did you have in mind?”

 

Bucky shrugs. “Take the dogs to go play somewhere? Maybe have dinner? I gotta tell you, just watching you work on this arm has me curious, and I have so many questions about what you do.”

 

Tony’s posture changes, goes a little more rigid, and Bucky automatically gets the feeling he said something wrong. “What do you mean, questions?” Diva nudges Tony’s hip gently, and yeah, Bucky messed up. Time to talk himself out of the hole he talked himself into.

 

“Well, obviously this is a workshop, and you’re an engineer, right? As a kid, I was always into the sci-fi stuff, never thought I’d get to live with someone who is the definition of sci-fi,” Bucky says, hoping he doesn’t mess this up, “And, well, I don’t know, Stevie’s always been an artsy person, but I prefer the mechanical stuff, the science and all. Was sorta hoping you could teach me some of how it all works.”

 

Tony watches Bucky, eyes clearly searching for something on Bucky’s face. “Most people hate hearing this kind of thing, unless they have other plans for the information,” Tony says carefully, and Bucky shakes his head.

 

“No, that’s… terrible, actually, I don’t know who does that, but no, I’m just curious. I went into the military at nineteen, and, well, you know what happened from there. Never got to go to school for it, and I figure if anyone knows what they’re doing here, it’s you.”

 

Tony keeps scanning Bucky’s face for something, but he seems to be satisfied with what he finds, because he relaxes again, Diva settling back down to lay at Tony’s feet. “Sure, okay. So, is this a date? Because you’re aromantic, right?”

 

Bucky’s gotten used to Tony’s ability to call up tiny details from memory, so he just nods. “Yeah, but there’s… I saw a term for it lately, uh, ‘queer platonic partners,’ I think?”

 

Tony smiles. “Yeah, that’s right. You’re catching up a lot faster than Steve did.”

 

Bucky shrugs. “Like I said, he’s always been more of an art nerd. Never a big fan of technology or science, even back in the 30s.”

 

“Well, I’m glad it’s not personal then. Okay, uh, dinner tonight then? I can show you some of what I’m working on right now in the meantime, and we’ll take the dogs out before we go?”

 

“I would love that.”

 

* * *

 

They spend about two hours in the workshop with Tony showing Bucky some of the new updates he’s been making to Natasha and Clint’s body armor, designs for some more remote piloted suits for both Tony and Rhodey, as well as some of the actual mechanics of Bucky’s arm.

 

Most of the time is dedicated to the way Bucky’s arm works, because Bucky’s honestly fascinated by everything Tony’s done.

 

“So, what, you removed all of the work HYDRA did and you replaced it with all new tech? That’s what you were doing the day you had me go under anesthesia?”

 

“Yep,” Tony says, popping the ‘p.’ “The anesthesia was actually the harder part, you have no idea how hard it was to calculate the rate at which your body metabolizes that and find a way to hold the dosage at a consistent enough rate to make it effective.”

 

Tony pulls up an x-ray of Bucky’s upper body, the hologram outlined in various colors. “Anyway, that’s not what we’re talking about. So, they grafted everything straight into the muscles and bones and stuff, right? But I figured there had to be a better way, so I called Shuri for help.”

 

Tony spins the hologram sideways, uses both hands to pinch the center and pull in either direction, the layers of the hologram spreading out so it’s easier to see. “So, the red here, that’s where we grafted flexible vibranium nanoparticles to the muscles, and the yellow here, that’s where we connected receptors to the synapses and nervous system, to give you the feeling you feel in the arm.”

 

Tony rotates the hologram, flicks aside the red and yellow to clear them away for now. “The blue, that’s where we created a whole new socket joint, and thanks to the nanoparticles, the connections to the synapses, and the neural stimulator in orange up here,” Tony points to an orange spot at the base of the skull, “Your brain is what communicates to the socket joint, and the sensors built into the docking ports, shown in green here, here, and here,” Tony points them out, “connect to the ball part of the joint on the arm itself, and that’s how you feel everything. Neat, huh?”

 

Bucky stares at the hologram, circling it a few times. “I’m pretty sure ‘neat’ is an understatement,” he says softly. He’s about to say something else when Fubar paws at his leg, and Bucky sighs. “Yeah, figures. Uh, mind if I borrow your couch?”

 

Tony shakes his head. “Not at all. I’ll get us a reservation for a restaurant, if you’re about ready?”

 

Bucky nods as he heads over to the couch, laying down with Fubar sitting down beside the couch, watching him attentively. “Yeah, that works. Shouldn’t take more than a couple minutes at worst.” He unzips the pocket on Fubar’s vest, takes a dose of the seizure rescue medication he keeps in there, and then lays back on the couch, closes his eyes, and waits.

 

When he opens his eyes again, he’s still on the couch, but Fubar is standing parallel to the couch, like he’s acting as a railing to prevent Bucky from falling off. “Good boy,” Bucky mumbles as he sits up, rubbing at his eyes and looking up at Tony, who’s currently working on some project at one of the tables. “We ready to go?” Bucky asks, and Tony closes out the screen, smiling.

 

“Yep! A quick walk for dogs, and we’re ready to go.”

 

* * *

 

Dinner goes well; Tony takes them to a Romanian restaurant, and they eat and talk about anything and everything they can think of, Tony getting slightly tipsy as the night goes on.

 

“Whoa whoa whoa, wait, you’re telling me, that the man my father talked about and ogled over for  _ years _ was a total dumbass who couldn’t even talk to a woman to save his life?”

 

“Damn right, couldn’t talk to a man to save his life either, and I mean that literally; he would rather get punched by a guy than try to talk to him.”

 

Tony snorts, and almost makes wine come out of his nose. Bucky can barely contain his laugh.

 

“Okay, that is, that is perfect, holy shit. So what changed, exactly?”

 

Bucky shrugs. “Well, he’s big and beautiful now, so he either succeeds in punching them or he makes out with them. Either way, he’s living up to the American name.”

 

Tony laughs. “You are my new best friend. You’re not going anywhere, right? I get to keep you, right? Because you, you are fun to talk to. You’re a dork, you’re funny, and you’re interested in what I do, in like, a cute way, a puppy kind of way. I mean, you’re not that bright, but I’ll get you there.”

 

“Hey!” Bucky protests, but he’s grinning as he says it, and Tony grins back.

 

“It’s true, but hey, no one’s perfect. So, are we taking food home too, because I  _ know _ you can eat more than that, you’re just trying to be polite.”

 

Bucky nods, standing up with Fubar coming out from under the table to heel on his right. “Absolutely. And are we doing this again sometime?”

 

Tony stands as well, Diva heeling on his left so Tony can link arms with Bucky, grinning. “Oh, absolutely.”

**Author's Note:**

> The idea for Fubar comes from the wonderful [ tumblr user yawpkasti](https://yawpkatsi.tumblr.com/), and their webcomic [ Bucky and Fubar](https://buckyandfubar.tumblr.com/)
> 
> As always, thank you for reading!


End file.
